Hubert Davis won't return as North Carolina's coach
North Carolina head coach Hubert Davis will not return next season, the school announced Tuesday.
Davis informed his team of his departure on Tuesday night, sources told ESPN's Pete Thamel. The 55-year-old reportedly has around $5.3 million of guaranteed money left on his contract.
"We appreciate all that Hubert has done for Carolina as a player, assistant coach, head coach and community leader – he has helped make special memories we will never forget," North Carolina's athletic director Bubba Cunningham said in a statement.
"This was not an easy decision because of Hubert's tremendous character and all he has given to the program, but we must move forward in a way that allows our team to compete more consistently at an elite level."
The change comes five days after the 6-seed Tar Heels blew a 19-point second-half lead and eventually fell to No. 11 seed VCU in the opening round. The result marks the second straight season that North Carolina exited the NCAA Tournament in the Round of 64.
Davis' tenure began in explosive fashion as North Carolina stormed through the tournament to reach the 2022 national championship game before losing to Kansas.
However, that would be the Tar Heels' peak in five years under Davis. They entered the 2022-23 campaign ranked No. 1 in the preseason AP Poll but ended up missing the tournament entirely, becoming the first program to do so.
North Carolina rebounded the following year en route to snagging a No. 1 seed, though it wound up losing in the Sweet 16. The team then posted a combined 47-23 mark over the past two seasons.
While Davis' coaching record alone may not warrant his departure, the manner in which North Carolina suffered significant losses was alarming, as his teams struggled mightily to hold leads. The program is 48-2 all time in the NCAA Tournament when leading by at least 10 points at half, with both defeats coming under Davis.
The Tar Heels will do an open search and plan to actively pursue candidates outside of the program, according to CBS Sports' Jon Rothstein. This would end a 74-year period of internal promotion that spans the tenures of Frank McGuire, Dean Smith, Bill Guthridge, and Matt Doherty.